My son Steven is among those men affected by mental health, and so my family has been deeply touched by it as well.

In the press and social media recently there has been a lot of coverage about male suicide which quite shockingly is the biggest killer of men under 45 years old, a scary statistic.

I first came across Brothers in Arms on facebook and read all the blogs from the people that this charity has helped. I feel it has given me hope and different perspectives of other people’s experiences and lives which is invaluable. To know that you are not alone experiencing the effects mental health has on families.

My son Steven is among the people who have written a blog. My family has been deeply affected by mental health issues over the last 8-9 years

Steven had a breakdown in May last year and sadly tried to take his own life and thankfully didn’t succeed.As a mum this was one of the saddest days of my entire life, receiving a phone call from the police to say that your son had been found wandering the streets disoriented and in a state of total confusion.I can still see that day in my head and I think it will be a long time before I can erase the feelings.

He was taken to Paisley hospital. I had to see him looking like a crumpled, broken and vulnerable man but to me, he was still my little boy and always will be....it was utterly heartbreaking.

Thankfully he survived and didn’t become another statistic. Steven has had a lot of much-needed support including care from family, professionals, work and friends...

He was finally diagnosed with PTSD. We also learned he was suffering from depression and anxiety too.

Steven had tried to stay strong for too long after he lost his wife to breast cancer 5 years ago and tragically leaving our 4-month-old grandson without a mummy.

His full story is on the blog on the Brothers in Arms site so please have a read.

Having an organisation like Brothers in Arms is such a great idea so that men can talk openly about how they are feeling, get support, share storiesand hopefully prevent things from getting worse.

Being Silent is Not Being Strong.

As a mum these last 8-9 years have been very traumatic - all you want for your children is for them to be happy and alive!!

Brothers in Arms is a project based in East Dunbartonshire, which is aimed at providing info, support and advice to men of any age, who are down or in crisis. They are dedicated to preventing male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 years old in the UK

We also want to raise awareness in Scotland as it is not something that is openly acknowledged, some men feel unable to talk or admit when they have a problem. So we need to challenge a culture that prevents men seeking help when they need it. It’s vital that their voices are heard.